Urticaria history and symptoms

Acute urticaria usually appears few minutes after contact with the allergens and can lasts from few hours to several weeks. On the other hand, chronic urticaria refers to hives that persists for at least 6 weeks. Both of them are often presented with the same symptoms. Appearance of wheals could be spontaneous or occurs after ingesting certain foods, contact with the allergens, exercise, medication use and pressure that have been applied on the skin based on urticaria subtype. Skin involvement in the form of wheals and pruritus are the common symptoms of urticaria. Less common symptoms of urticaria are dizziness, nausea, headache and burning sensation.

• Acute urticaria usually appears few minutes after contact with the allergens and can last from few hours to several weeks. Food allergic reactions could fit in this category. Common causes of the reaction include consumption of shellfish, nuts, eggs, fish, acid derivatives, dye, or a combination of them.
• Chronic urticaria refers to hives that persists for at least 6 weeks. There are no differences in physical examination of acute and chronic urticaria. Some of the more severe cases of chronic urticaria have been lasted more than 20 years. A survey indicated that chronic urticaria lasted a year or more in more than 50% of patients and 20 years or more in 20% of them. Of course this does mean that in almost half the patients it clears up within a year and in 80% of them it clears up within 20 years or less.^[1]
• Drug-induced urticaria can result in severe cardiorespiratory failure. The anti-diabetic treatments, such as sulphonylurea glimepiride (trade name Amaryl®), have been documented to cause allergic reactions manifesting as urticaria. Other responsible medications include dextroamphetamine, aspirin, penicillin, clotrimazole, sulfonamides and anticonvulsants.
• Physical urticaria symptoms develop after exposure to the physical agent/pressure.
• Development of hives after exercise, passive increase in body temperature (such as hot bath) and emotional stress suggest cholinergic urticaria.^[2]
• In adrenergic urticaria development of wheals occurs after emotional stress and not due to body temperature elevation.^[3]

Common symptoms of urticaria include:^[2][4][5]

• Skin involvement in the form of wheal with erythema, which usually lasts 1-24 hours
• Pruritus

Less common symptoms of urticaria include:^[2]

• Concurrent symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and headache have been reported in 11% of patients with cholinergic urticaria.
• Burning sensation in skin lesions

Template:WH Template:WS